The present invention relates to an eye protection device. More particularly, it relates to a device to protect drivers or passengers at night against dazzling light from cars approaching head-on.
During driving at night, the headlight from head-on cars is very dazzling and intensely irritates eyes of the driver and passengers. Although the main headlights of cars may be switched to low beams, such light is still quite intense, particularly during heavy traffic at night. With head-on cars approaching one after the other and under incessant irritation of intense light, eyes of driver and passengers will be tired easily. If the driver is to wear tinted goggles to protect eyes, it will be difficult to perceive the road condition since it is dim at night and the tinted goggles further handicap the sight of the driver. Traffic accidents will be likely to occur. In order to overcome the above-mentioned difficulty, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,541,125; 3,049,716; 3,212,102; and 3,383,707 propose several forms of shielding devices for eye protection. The common aspect of these shielding devices is ease of placing them in front of eyes and removing them therefrom. The shielding device is to be placed in front of eyes when the cars approach and then removed as soon as they pass each other. Such devices known heretofore do not completely solve the problem. Although such devices may enable a driver to avoid eye irritation from dazzle when the shield is placed in front of his or her eyes as a car approaches, the sight of the driver is obstructed from clearly perceiving the road condition and a traffic accident is likely to occur. Even with existing traffic regulations requiring a driver driving a car at night to immediately switch the main headlight to a low beam when another car approaches from a head-on direction, the driver simultaneously desires to place the shield in front of his or her eyes, and after the car passes, it is necessary to switch the low beam back to main headlight and to remove the shield from in front of his eyes without delay. Such frequent manipulation may inconvenience the driver, divert his attention, and result in a road accident. In view of the foregoing, it appears that the devices known heretofore do not satisfactorily solve the problem by preventing dazzling during driving at night.